The State House is in the Greek Revival style; it is approximately 180 feet (55 m) tall, 300 feet (91 m) long, 100 feet (30 m) wide. It weighs more than 70,000 short tons (64,000 t) and has 130,673 square feet (12,140 m2) of space.

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The South Carolina State House was designed first by architect P. H. Hammarskold.[4] Construction began in 1851, but the original architect was dismissed for fraud and dereliction of duty.[5] Soon thereafter, the structure was largely dismantled because of defective materials and workmanship.[6] John Niernsee redesigned the structure and work began on it in 1855, slowed during the Civil War, and was suspended in 1865 as General Sherman's Union Army entered Columbia on February 17. Several public buildings were "put to the torch" when United States troops entered the city.

Example of one of the six bronze stars, marking the spots hit by Sherman's cannons

The capitol building was damaged by artillery shells and set afire by Sherman's troops.[7]

South Carolina State House from the 15th floor of the Main and Gervais Tower.

Building work was finally completed in 1907. The reconstruction era poverty slowed progress. The building's main structure was finally completed in 1875. From 1888 to 1891, Niernsee’s son, Frank McHenry Niernsee, served as architect and much of the interior work was completed. In 1900 Frank Pierce Milburn began as architect,[8] but was replaced in 1905 by Charles Coker Wilson who finally finished the exterior in 1907.[9] Additional renovations were made in 1959 and 1998.

The building's grounds are home to several monuments. On the north side is a monument to South Carolina's Confederate dead, a monument that includes a flagpole flying a traditional version of the Confederate battle flag. The monument was established after a controversy during the U.S. presidential campaign of 2000 about the Confederate flag flying over the dome of the State House.[11] The flag, originally placed over the dome in 1962,[12] was moved to its present location on July 1, 2000.